Device for scattering light objects

ABSTRACT

A device for scattering light objects such as confetti, in which the objects fall through an aperture from a container into a housing and are blown out through one or more forwardly projecting barrels by a fan located behind a screen located rearwardly of the aperture.

Uiied tates Patet Frattolillo et al.

DEVICE FOR SCATTERING LIGHT OBJECTS Inventors: Domenico Frattolillo;Anthony Frattolillo, both of 1555 Jane St., Apt.

1015, Weston-Toronto, Ontario,

Canada Filed: Apr. 12, 1971 Appl. No.: 133,335

US. Cl. ..46/l0, 46/243 R Int. Cl. ..A63h 33/26 Field of Search ..46/l0[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,225,486 12/1965 Levy..46/10 3,435,554 4/1969 Philips ..46/10 Primary Examiner-Russell RKinsey Assistant Examiner-Robert F. Cutting Attorney-Lewis Edward Hanley[57] ABSTRACT A device for scattering light objects such as confetti, inwhich the objects fall through an aperture from a container into ahousing and are blown out through one or more forwardly projectingbarrels by a fan located behind a screen located rearwardly of theaperture.

10 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures PATENTEB MY 8 I375 SHEET 1 [1F 5 MEDOEPATENTEDHLY 81975 SHEET 2 OF 5 v MKDOE m MEDQE PATENTEU 81973 3.731.421

SHEET 3 BF 5 FIGURE 5 FIGURE 6 PATENTED 8|973 3,731,421

SHEET 0F 5 FIGURE 7 PATENTEWY 819B 3.731.421

SHEET 5 OF 5 FIGURE lO DEVICE FOR SCATTNG LIGHT OECTS This inventionrelates to a device for scattering small light objects such as confetti.

Confetti and similar material is usually scattered by hand althoughdevices have been conceived from time to time to facilitate that method.It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved devicefor scattering such material.

An example embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a scatterer;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view, partly broken away, of the main bodyportion of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the container of the device ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 44l of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the internal mechanism of the device ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the motor mount of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the handle of the device ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view, taken along line 1-1 of FIG. 2, of thehousing of the device;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view, taken along line 22 of FIG. 2, of thehousing of the device; and

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3- -3 of FIG. 2, ofthe housing of the device.

As seen particularly in FIGS. 1-3, the embodiment shown in the drawingsconsists of a housing 1 of frustoconical shape having three nozzles orbarrels 79, 80 and 81 projecting from the smaller, forward end of thehousing and diverging at narrow angles from the axis of the housing.

A direct current motor is mounted in housing ll towards the largerrearward end of the housing which carries a cap or cover 52 withapertures 50 and 51. Motor 5 is fixed in housing 1 by lugs 83 and 84with threaded holes 85 and 86 to receive screws, passing through thehousing wall and the motor rests on a saddle 87 having legs 88, 89 withthreaded holes 90, 91 receiving screws passing through the housing wall.A tooth 92 on saddle 87 is received in a recess 93 in wall 82 of motor5. A pair of fans 47 and 48 are fixed by screws 49 on drive shaft 38 ofmotor 5 one fan at each end of the motor. The ends 39 and 40 of driveshaft 38 are journalled in sockets 41 and 42 in a pair of mounts orbrackets 43 and 44 fixed in housing 1 by screws en gagable with threadedholes 45 and 46 in mounts 43 and 44 respectively.

A grill or screen 53 is fixed in housing 1 between one fan 48 of motor 5and the base of barrels 79, 30 and 81. Screen 53 consists of an openmesh grid 54 mounted on a circular flame 55 which is fixed to housing 1by screws engaging threaded holes 56, 57, 58 in the frame.

An aperture or opening 71 is located in the wall of housing 1 betweenscreen 53 and the base of barrels 79, 80 and 81 and opens downwardlyinto an area 78 in front of screen 53. Aperture 71 has an outwardlyprojecting, threaded flange 77. A tank or container 72 is mounted onhousing 1 and consists of a pair of opposed, shallow, dished members 73and 75 forming a chamber, lower member 75 having an internally threadedopening 75a engagable with flange 77 on the housing, and upper memberhaving a removable cover 74 with a gripping fin 76.

Within housing 1 a gear 59 fixed to drive shaft 38 of motor 5 mesheswith a gear which is fixed on a shaft 64 journalled at each end 65, 66in a pair of brackets 67, fixed to the housing by screws in threadedholes 69, 76 in the brackets. Shaft 64 passes through screen 53 andcarries fixed to that shaft on the side of the screen opposite gear 60,a rotor 63 having a pair of fins 61 each with an aperture 62. Rotor 63is located to pass the free outer edge of each fin 61 across opening 71of housing 1.

A handle 1a is fixed to housing 1 diametrically opposite opening 71 ofthe housing. As seen in FIG. 7, handle lla consists of a contoured shell2 carrying a push-button ball 3 projecting outwardly through an aperture4 in the shell. Ball 3 bears against a leaf spring 7 fixed at one end toa block 8 which is fixed through an aperture 9 by a screw 10 to shell 2and at the other end to a contact 6 spaced from a pole 16 of anelectrical battery 15 located in the shell. The other pole 14 of battery15 bears against a contact 17 fixed on shell 2. Leads 13 from motor 5pass through holes 36 (see FIG. 5), 35 and 37 of housing 1 (see FIG. 4)and are connected to terminals 12 and 19 in holes 11 and 18 of contacts6 and 17 respectively. Grooves 20 and 22 in ends 21 and 23 of battery 15receive projections 27 and 24 on housing 1 and on base 30 of handle larespectively.

Battery 15 is preferably constructed to have flattened side walls, 15aand 15b, pole 14 projecting from one rounded edge of the batteryadjacent end 21 and pole l6 projecting from the other rounded edge 15dof the battery adjacent end 23. Base 30 is removably fixed on handle laby screws passing through holes 31 and 32 in the base and engagingthreaded holes 33 and 34 in shell 2. Battery 15 is further secured inshell 2 by a bracket 25 fixed to the shell by screws 10 engagingthreaded holes 28 and 29 in the bracket which also has an aperture 26 topass pole 16 of the battery.

In the operation of the device small pieces of light material such asconfetti-like discs of paper are charged into container 72 aftertemporarily removing cover 74. Grasping handle 1a and aiming barrels 79,8t), 81, ball 3 is pressed to move contact 6 against pole 16 to completethe circuit between battery 15 and motor 5, causing fans 47 and 48 torotate drawing air through 'apertured cover 52 and blowing the airthrough screen 53. Gears 59 and 64) cause rotor 63 to rotate also,agitating the discs in opening 71 and scattering them in front of screen53. The air from fans 47 and 48 passing through screen 53 blows thediscs out of the device through barrels 79, 80, 81. Screen 53 preventsany of the discs from coming into contact with gears 59, 60 or fans 47,48 as they drop from opening 71.

We claim:

1. A device for scattering small light objects of paper or the likecomprising:

a housing having a forward portion and a rearward portion, the housingbeing perforated in the rearward portion thereof;

a fan mounted in the housing, the fan being constructed and arranged todirect air forwardly therein;

a screen fixed in the housing forwardly of the fan;

at least one barrel projecting from the housing forwardly of the screen;

a container mounted on the housing and connected downwardly with anaperture to open into the housing between the screen and the barrel; and

motor means mounted in the housing and connected with the fan forrotation thereof.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 including rotatable means mounted inthe housing below the aperture from the container, and means to connectthe rotatable means with the motor means through the screen.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2 in which the rotatable means comprisesa motor having a pair of diametrically opposed fins movable through thearea of the aperture from the container.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1 in which the motor means comprises anelectric motor fixed to the housing rearwardly of the fan, a handlefixed on the housing, battery means mounted in the handle and connectedelectrically with the electric motor, and switch means mounted in thehandle for connecting and disconnecting the battery means and theelectric motor.

5. A device as claimed in claim 4 including a further fan mounted in thehousing rearwardly of the motor and connected therewith, the further fanbeing constructed and arranged to direct air forwardly in the housing.

6. A device as claimed in claim 1 in which the housing is frusto-conicaland the barrel projects from the smaller end thereof.

7. A device as claimed in claim 1 in which the container comprises apair of shallow, dished members threaded together in opposed upper andlower relationship, an aperture centrally located in each member and aremovable cover on the aperture of the upper member.

8. A device as claimed in claim 4 in which the battery means comprises abattery body having flat upper and lower end walls, a pair of opposed,flattened side walls and a pair of opposed, rounded edges.

9. A device as claimed in claim 8 in which the battery has a pair ofpoles, one pole projecting from the upper portion of one of the roundededges of the battery body and the other pole projecting from the lowerportion of the other rounded edge of the battery body.

10. A device as claimed in claim 8 in which each end of the batterycarries a groove, and the housing and handle each carries a projectionreceivable in said grooves.

1. A device for scattering small light objects of paper or the likecomprising: a housing having a forward portion and a rearward portion,the housing being perforated in the rearward portion thereof; a fanmounted in the housing, the fan being constructed and arranged to directair forwardly therein; a screen fixed in the housing forwardly of thefan; at least one barrel projecting from the housing forwardly of thescreen; a container mounted on the housing and connected downwardly withan aperture to open into the housing between the screen and the barrel;and motor means mounted in the housing and connected with the fan forrotation thereof.
 2. A device as claimed in claim 1 including rotatablemeans mounted in the housing below the aperture from the container, andmeans to connect the rotatable means with the motor means through thescreen.
 3. A device as claimed in claim 2 in which the rotatable meanscomprises a motor having a pair of diametrically opposed fins movablethrough the area of the aperture from the container.
 4. A device asclaimed in claim 1 in which the motor means Comprises an electric motorfixed to the housing rearwardly of the fan, a handle fixed on thehousing, battery means mounted in the handle and connected electricallywith the electric motor, and switch means mounted in the handle forconnecting and disconnecting the battery means and the electric motor.5. A device as claimed in claim 4 including a further fan mounted in thehousing rearwardly of the motor and connected therewith, the further fanbeing constructed and arranged to direct air forwardly in the housing.6. A device as claimed in claim 1 in which the housing is frusto-conicaland the barrel projects from the smaller end thereof.
 7. A device asclaimed in claim 1 in which the container comprises a pair of shallow,dished members threaded together in opposed upper and lowerrelationship, an aperture centrally located in each member and aremovable cover on the aperture of the upper member.
 8. A device asclaimed in claim 4 in which the battery means comprises a battery bodyhaving flat upper and lower end walls, a pair of opposed, flattened sidewalls and a pair of opposed, rounded edges.
 9. A device as claimed inclaim 8 in which the battery has a pair of poles, one pole projectingfrom the upper portion of one of the rounded edges of the battery bodyand the other pole projecting from the lower portion of the otherrounded edge of the battery body.
 10. A device as claimed in claim 8 inwhich each end of the battery carries a groove, and the housing andhandle each carries a projection receivable in said grooves.